Abstract
Bioavailability of manganese (Mn) in human milk, cow's milk and infant formula (Similac) was found to be different. The effect of intestinal maturation on the absorption of nutrients is well established. Using neonatal rat pups 8 to 11 days old, we have studied the effect of age on the bioavailability of manganese from these three types of milk. Rat pups starved for 14 hours were fed by intubation with Mn-54 labeled milk or formula. Absorption of Mn was monitored 3 hours after feeding by measuring Mn-54 radioactivity in the whole carcass without the digestive tract or the liver alone. Based on total radioactivity recovered in the carcass, absorption of Mn from formula was not affected by the age of the animal. Younger pups, however, absorbed Mn more efficiently from human milk and cow's milk than older pups (human milk: 31.6% fed at 8 days compared with 14.5% at 11 days; cow's milk 27.0% fed at 11 days compared with 13.1% at 11 days). A transition from high absorption to low absorption occurred at 10 days. Even though the liver accumulated comparable amounts of Mn-54 in 8 day old pups when they were fed labeled milk, or formula, significantly higher quantities of Mn-54 were found in the liver of formula fed 11 day old pups. This difference in absorption of Mn from different types of milk might be accounted for by the change with age in the ability of the absorptive system to process the different Mn binding ligands in the milk studied. (Supported by NIH grant HD 16730)
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Raghib, H., Chan, WY. & Rennert, O. EFFECT OF AGE ON ABSORPTION OF MANGANESE FROM HUMAN MILK, COW'S MILK AND INFANT FORMULA. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 209 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00694
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00694